Being around trees is beneficial to health

Our ancestors knew that living around treesand green spaces makes us happier and healthier. Therefore, our ancestors cared for trees, people considered then trees as a social fabric. Trees and it parts such as leaves, flowers and fruits have been part of our ritual and customs. I remember my mom used to tell us that a variety of communication happens between non-human elements of the natural world, especially the trees. She used tell that trees have energetic inner lives that are similar to ours. They also thrive in families, and form underground social networks. They too feel joy and pain. Each tree has its individual personality, they also need sleep, they have their moods, and they communicate with each other using different types of lingo. The most important thing which she told us, and that has made a great impact on me till date is that trees can bless us, they have the capacities to do good to us.

Several recent studies have focused on the positive effects of trees and nature on our mental and physical health. A recent study published in a journal using satellite images on 31,109 residents of the greater Toronto, Canada found that people who live in areas with higher street tree density report better health compared with their peers living in areas with lower street tree density. People living amongst higher trees density feel more contented and more cheerful. Another study found that living on a street with 10 more trees than average (both on the street and in people’s yards) makes them feel as healthier as much as seven years younger!!

Adding an extra 10 trees to a block might be a simple way for cities to improve health. Ten more trees in every block in a street can increase tree density in a diffusion area. So if you are planning to make investment in a new house, you should count the number of trees on the block. Why not make a little investment in planting few indoor plants or if you have a balcony or a backyard, plant few trees.

On occasions when you need to give a gift, please give of a flowered plant; by doing so, you are giving pleasure, creativity, and better health to the person. Fresh, appealing flowers come in colours and sizes to instantly enhance every home and patio decor. Additionally, the benefits of gardening and nurturing a living flowered plant can reduce stress, help in doing little physical exercise, and connect to nature that is healing. One need not be a trained gardener to grow a bloomed plant. Choose a hardy and easy-going plant that can grow in almost anywhere. I think this can be a perfect gift.

Trees are known to improve air quality by capturing six common air pollutants and toxic gases: ground-level ozone, particular matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and lead. In fact, a single tree can absorb 10 pounds of air pollutants per year. In a study published in 2014, U.S. Forest Service scientists and collaborators calculated that trees are saving more than 850 human lives a year and preventing 670,000 incidents of acute respiratory symptoms.

Have you heard of a concept ‘’Shinrin-yoku’’? It is a term that means forest bathing. It was developed in Japan during the 1980s and has become a foundation of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. The idea is simple: it is taking meditative, thoughtful long walks through the woods that reconnect the individual with nature.

Researchers primarily in Japan and South Korea have established a robust body of scientific literature on the health benefits of spending time under the canopy of a living forest. IN recent years their research is helping to establish shinrin-yoku and forest therapy throughout the world. In the past several decades there have been many scientific studies that are demonstrating the mechanisms behind the healing effects of simply being in wild and natural areas. Many trees in the forest give off organic compounds that support our “NK” (natural killer) cells that are part of our immune system’s way of fighting cancer. The forest bathing reduced blood pressure, it reduces stress, it increases ability to focus, even in children with ADHD and it helps in accelerated recovery from surgery or illness. It boosts increased energy level and improved sleep.

Let us connect with nature by living a beautiful life among the trees.

Over the course of my life, I have done all possible jobs that one can think of – front desk assistant, telephone operator, clerical work, accounts assistant, inventory officer, sales woman, sales manager, tutor, lecturer, professor, director...etc. The range of job designations and experience of working in diverse roles has given me strength to think, help people, increase customer satisfaction, promote products, and off course build brands. When I look back at my career, in some jobs I excelled, in some I continued with odds. But the fact is that the diversity in my career has strengthened me as a person and definitely enhanced my skills. Every job taught me something or the other.
I love meeting people, reading, travelling, listening to music, cooking, gardening, teaching, writing. Blogging has been a recent addition and am loving it. It has become my biggest hobby. Blogging has changed my life. My blog is wide-ranging manifestation of the way I think. I am a creative individual; I write because I have the urge to translate expressions of life.
Over the years I studied and added some degrees as well. I have a PhD in Marketing Management from University of Pune, a post doctoral D.Litt (Doctor of letters) from Mumbai University in strategic management. I am a Professor of Management Studies with 16 years of teaching experience and have over 20 years industry experience. My core teaching areas are Marketing Strategy and General Management. As a teacher, I have always maintained the academic rigor in my classroom, I have always believed and practiced academic engagement while lecturing, I believe in experiential teaching-learning. I truly believe that education is interdisciplinary; therefore I have successfully guided 15 students for their PhD degree across various sectors in business management which includes a broad base of research coursework coupled with an area of specialization.
I write on various management topics, research, news and higher education for students. And, the general section of articles on my blog relate to my interests in life. Happy reading to you all!

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A Professor with 15 years of teaching and 20 years industry experience. My core teaching areas are Marketing Strategy and General Management. While I am a Professor of Marketing and General Management, I have also worked as Director of few Management Institutes in Mumbai.